The present invention relates, in general, to a fire extinguishing system, and particularly to an automatic fire extinguishing system (AFES) for use in a vehicle or in other settings.
Typical fire suppression devices comprise a canister of pressurized fire suppression material and a valve. The fire suppression material in the canister may include a propellant, if necessary, to discharge the material. The valve has an outlet port through which the fire suppression material from the canister is discharged. In some cases, the valve includes a mechanism with which to selectively release the fire suppression material through the outlet port (e.g., automatically in response to a fire event, or through manual means).
Fire suppression devices may be used, for example, in certain environments that are subject to risk of exposure to fire (e.g., because of an accident or other disaster). As an example, fire suppression devices have applicability in the military industry. Tanks, Humvees, or other military vehicles may be subject to an attack in which an explosion (e.g., via rupture of a fuel tank or by virtue of an explosive, etc.) causes a fire within and/or surrounding the vehicle. In such cases, a fire suppression device may be automatically or manually activated in response to the fire to assist with putting the fire out and/or lessening its effect on the occupants of the vehicle.
Certain conventional fire suppression devices fail to meet industry needs, however. For instance, within the military field, it is desirable that the fire suppression device actuate within milliseconds of a fire event, that it expel an extinguishing agent(s) in a fast manner, and that the device is adequately sealed to guard against leakage of the extinguishing material(s) over its lifecycle, which in some cases can reach thirty (30) years. The device also typically must require little or no maintenance over its lifetime, and operate with a wide range of power supply systems available. Some fire suppression devices are lacking in one or all of these areas.
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a fire suppression device and valve assembly that improves upon existing devices.